Red Tide detected in the Gulf, health alert issued for several Sarasota County beaches

SARASOTA COUNTY, Fla. — The Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County (DOH-Sarasota) said there are elevated levels of red tide detected on beaches in the area.

Due to elevated counts of red tide from Monday’s beach water samples, the DOH-Sarasota said it will post signage at several beaches to advise the public that red tide is present.

The following beaches have elevated red tide levels:

  • Turtle Beach
  • Nokomis Beach
  • North Jetty
  • Venice Beach
  • Service Club Park
  • Venice Fishing Pier
  • Brohard Beach
  • Caspersen Beach

According to the DOH-Sarasota, red tide can cause some people to have mild and short-lived respiratory symptoms such as eye, nose and throat irritation. Symptoms can feel like a common cold or seasonal allergies. DOH-Sarasota said people with existing breathing problems, like asthma, might experience more severe effects.

If symptoms do not subside, the DOH-Sarasota said you should contact your healthcare provider for evaluation.

The DOH-Sarasota makes the following recommendations:

  • Do not swim around dead fish.
  • If you have chronic respiratory problems, consider staying away from the beach, as the red tide can affect your breathing.
  • Do not harvest or eat molluscan shellfish and distressed or dead fish. If fish are healthy, rinse fillets with tap or bottled water and throw out the guts.
  • Keep pets and livestock away from water, sea foam, and dead sea life.
  • Residents living in beach areas who experience respiratory symptoms are advised to close windows and run the air conditioner (ensuring that the A/C filter is maintained according to the manufacturer’s specifications).
  • If outdoors, residents may choose to wear paper filter masks, especially if onshore winds are blowing.

For more information about red tide, visit here.

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